Endangered sea turtle nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park for the first time in a decade – Houston Public Media

A nest of endangered sea turtle eggs was discovered on the beachside of Galveston Island State Park final week — the first nest discovered on the park in over a decade.

The nest contained 107 eggs laid by a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is likely one of the most endangered sea turtle species on the planet.

This was the first nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, in line with Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research.

As soon as the nest was found, it was dropped at an incubation facility at Padre Island Nationwide Seashore, Marshall mentioned.

“Every egg issues,” Marshall said. "Quite a lot of nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been misplaced to storms, high tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an setting where they have the perfect chance for survival into adulthood."

The species was almost misplaced in the Eighties until intensive conservation efforts have been applied on nesting seashores and through fisheries administration, in keeping with NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional capture of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the most important menace dealing with Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall said the typical nesting season for the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle runs between April 1 and July 15. He urged anybody who finds a nest to remain not less than 60 feet away and to call the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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